Rockstar Games’ two flagship series – Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto – share much in terms of gameplay and graphical quality, but over recent titles, it has become clear that the two worlds should remain unconnected. While GTA has and probably will continue to maintain a light, humorous, and satiric nature, Red Dead has strived to provide a more serious and emotional adventure for the player. Despite small links and references between the two worlds hidden in the games, these Easter eggs should remain no more than a light-hearted nod and not materialize into true connections for GTA and RDR.
Red Dead references are aplenty in GTA 5 in particular. Easter eggs include a Red Dead book in Franklin’s apartment (written by a J. Marston), as well as images and locations from RDR (such as Blackwater) featuring in one of the GTA 5 in-game movies, called Capolavoro. These Easter eggs, alongside many more, tease that Rockstar is keen to establish a connection between GTA and Red Dead Redemption. However, if this is pushed further, the atmosphere and style of either title could be at risk of losing their impact.
Following the release of RDR2, critical acclaim was focused on its hyper-realistic, slower-paced, and immersive tone. Despite compelling moments in the previous titles, RDR2 provided a story and gameplay cycle that was akin to The Last Of Us, proving that Rockstar has the narrative chops to compete with the best. GTA 5, on the other hand, struggles to impact the player with this emotional weight (depending on which ending was picked), instead focusing on the laughs and big action set-pieces that are staples of the Grand Theft Auto series. The tone in GTA has often remained the same, and other Rockstar titles such as Bully have followed this trend – while the likes of Red Dead and L.A. Noire have broken away into more serious narratives.
Red Dead Redemption Can’t Really Fit In The GTA Universe
Another feature that is unique in Red Dead Redemption, which stands out from the Grand Theft Auto series, is the stylization. Inclusions in RDR2, that in turn add to the tone of the story, include chapters and an occasional narrative from Arthur Morgan, arguably the best protagonist Rockstar has, allowing for the player to have a stronger connection to the life they are playing out. Considering features such as narrative would not fit in the style of GTA, and have been sparsely used in past games, the style of the two series is another sticking point that further proves they should separate.
Away from the successful Undead Nightmare expansion pack – which removed the serious tone of the Red Dead series briefly, it is very evident that the cowboy series benefits heavily from its serious, slower-paced tone and style. Conversely, one of Grand Theft Auto‘s best features is its attention to detail in humor and satire during light-hearted moments, done best when targeting those multi-billion companies and celebrities. For these reasons, as well as the levels of success the series has achieved without the assistance of the other, it is clear that Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto should be left unconnected.
